Not Yours To Claim
by Bruce13
Summary: Those nights spent with the High King, Kama would remember always. However, an obsessive relative makes thier marriage impossible. Yet, Peter is after her more than ever. Will she give into the High King's love? Or end up leaving him a huge burden
1. Chapter 1

1: Memories

Peter gratefully splashed water on his face from a decorative basin in the room that he shared with his brother. The room was surprisingly large for that of an inn, as well as it was clean which was one of the first things the High King noticed when he traveled. He pulled his gritty, once white undershirt above his head and threw it on the floor to join the other articles of clothing he had already stripped from his being in a pile on the wood floor. Grabbing a towel, he dunked it in the water, which was starting to turn brown, and began to scrub his chest and arms free of the dust and sweat that had plagued him for the two weeks he had been on the move.

Susan had thought that he needed something to do, other than the normal castle work, so had sent him to visit the Ambassador of the smaller Narnian provinces, such as the one he was residing in currently—as if trying to combat war was not enough to do. Calormen, the land south of the Great Desert, was in shambles. The monarch had been overthrown and the people fought against themselves for two different factions with completely different ideals had formed and thought the only way to solve their differences was to eliminate the other group. After the Battle of Beruna with the White Witch, this war was the bloodiest and saddest the Narnian Continent had seen.

However, there were some benefits gained by the war. For example, because of the fighting in Calormen, it had revealed to him and his family those in his presence who were only interested in personal gain and not in the interest of the people. Even though, as High King, he was debating on whether or not to become involved in the foreign affair (although it was on the same continent, the Calormens had made it quite clear that they intended to act as a foreign nation), Peter acknowledge and understood the consequences to the Narnians were he to rashly join the fighting and he was still unsure with whose idealology he agreed.

Yet, despite knowing the costs for even considering fighting with any kind of Calormen and his need to have time to think about things without being pushed, Peter knew there was another reason that Susan had insisted that he go from the castle. She had seen that he had not been sleeping well, but still pushed himself to the point of exhaustion. But he knew she would not understand—he couldn't sleep. He was haunted by a memory.

At the thought, a picture flashed through his mind, dimming his view. A picture of a woman. She had hair that was almost red, with a brown undertone that shone wonderfully in the sun. Her almond-shaped eyes were milky blue, almost white, giving her face a tan complexion. She was only just shorter than he was; her shoulders thrown back jauntily as her beautiful eyes sparkled with laughter, yet knowing while the wind playfully tossed her hair into her face.

He shook himself, the memory disappearing into the murky water as his eyes refocused; yet the image of her red lips stretched back in a smile revealing her white teeth remained. He swallowed, and unknowingly let out a breath. It was not really a sigh, but an exhalation of weariness. The woman, that troubled his thoughts, he would never forget. He did not think it was possible for him to forget her. However, he was tired of being trailed by her memories.

Everything he did reminded him of her. Whether it was at a public hearing in Cair Paravel or while he was reading in the library or in the privacy of his room; when he lay in his bed, waiting for the sleep that he knew would never come. Her laughter echoed in the halls or in the garden when he was attempting to get away from the chaotic activity inside the castle. The minty-vanilla scent that remained in the library belonged to her and she had left her mark in the kitchens with her sultry dishes that would quickly send people reaching for their mugs, yet asking for more.

That's why Susan had sent him away. She had hoped to uproot him from his place of memories so that he might actually get a decent night's worth of sleep. However, he knew that would be impossible. He had been trying for five years to remove the woman from his thoughts and the results had always been the same: more memories.

"Peter," Edmund's voice called, breaking his reverie among the creaking of the door.

Peter looked up into the mirror attached to the dresser and saw his brother walking over to the only bed in the room and placing a tray on it. "What is it, Edmund?" he questioned, over his shoulder turning his head to better see his sibling.

Edmund gave him a pointed stare. "Don't use that tone," he ordered. "I've brought you some food. Oreius says you haven't eaten very much for the last couple of days."

"I haven't been hungry," he sighed. Leave it up to Oreius to notice things like that. He walked over to his pack which he had dumped on one side of the bed that he had claimed as his. Rummaging through it, he finally found a clean undershirt and pulled it over his head. Despite the cloth blocking his view, Peter could feel his brother's eyes on him.

"You're going to have to acquire a new excuse," he stated matter-of-factly. "That one's been used so much I knew what you were going to say to me before you said it."

Peter's head popped out of the shirt. "All right," he mused. "How about…I'm too busy?"

The Just King attempted to keep his face expressionless, but failed horribly. "Busy doing what," he guffawed, trying to control the laughter that rose in him.

He just shrugged and smiled as he began to tuck his shirt into his pants. Yet, he must have given Edmund a strange look, for his brother was staring at him, a knowing look on his face.

"Peter," he said, softly. "It's been over five years."

He sighed. How is it that Edmund seemed to see right through him. "I know."

"I think it's time to move on, Pete."

"You _think_ it's time?! I know it's time. Ed, I can't even walk down the hall without hearing her voice or her laughter, still." He sighed again. "I just want to know why she left. Maybe then I'd be able to go on with life." Peter felt his brother's reassuring hand on his shoulder and he smiled at him, reassuringly. "Sorry," he apologized.

Edmund shook his head. "No problem," he said the smile apparent in his voice. "I think you need to eat."

"I think I need to eat, too." Peter smiled, suddenly hungry. He sat down on the edge of the bed and pulled the tray of food over to him. As he began eating, thunder rumbled. "We're going to have to stay the night," he said, around a mouthful of bread.

Edmund nodded his agreement, picking a piece of fruit up from the tray and popping it into his mouth. "Yes, but Oreius does not want to."

"We'll see," Peter said. "Hopefully, if it's just drizzle, then we can go on without much hassle. If we're lucky, the rain won't last long and won't be heavy."

Their luck must have run out.

The rain attacked the small village with a ferocity that was unknown to any of the Narnians. The wind blew down trees and felled entire homes in single gusts. Several of the men, including the two kings, worried over the security of the building and often they just waited for the storms to knock down the inn with them inside it. The rain turned the dusty roads into puddles of water and mud so thick it was almost like quick sand. When it didn't rain, it hailed: massive chunks of ice that were large enough to put a dent in a metal plate—or a man's skull. When it didn't hail the sky discharged icy blankets of sleet which proceeded to hit the window panes and freeze. It was miserable.

The Narnians were stuck. The slushy roads were unfit for travel and the rain would have made conditions miserable. Honestly, Peter could not say that he minded staying in the village for a few days, for he had not stopped at a place for more than two days before this. However, the people were amazingly friendly, common among Narnians, and the inn in which they stayed seemed to be where most people gathered on stormy days. So in a very short period, he had become acquainted with everyone.

It was nearing a week since they had been stranded in the village, and the Narnians, even Peter, were restless. Even now he sat at the only window in his room, drawing patterns on the frosty panes, like he used to do as a boy, and observing the little town quietly. Edmund sat on the bed, carving a figurine out of a piece of wood from a knife that had been a gift from his closest friend. He had been watching his brother, something strange about his behavior.

Every so often, he would turn in his chair to look behind him out of the glass, as if watching someone. When Ed had first seen this, he had thought it was a brave occupant of the village who was forced out of their home, into the rain from some dire situation. However, when his brother continued to look back, it had piqued his interests. What was his brother looking at? It was then, he noticed that his brother's gaze had frozen to something directly in front of him, but Edmund did not want Peter to think he had been spying so he stayed where he was, although he didn't know how he managed that.

Finally, whatever, it was must have vanished for, once again, Peter continued to stare, blankly out the window and Ed went back to carving the wood. Yet, for some reason, Edmund couldn't get his mind off what his brother had been watching. At last, he could stand it no longer.

"What were you watching, Pete?" he non-chalantly questioned, careful to keep his strokes even and steady.

"Nothing much," came the guarded reply that Ed was all to familiar with.

"Tell me about it," he pressed, continuing to shave the wood, but his strokes were no longer steady.

"Nothing much," he repeated. "A rider just came through."

"Oh."

"Yeah. He was slumped across the back of his horse, as if he was hurt or something."

At this, Edmund looked up with a frown.

"Funny thing is," Peter went on, "the horse stopped right at the doctor's office, as if it knew where it was going. Like I said, nothing much."

Edmund went back to carving the figurine. "Hmm," was all he replied. However, he had the impression that there was more than just "nothing" going on in Peter's thought and he had a funny feeling that he was, soon, going to find out.


	2. Found

"You ready?" Edmund questioned, stopping before the door alongside his brother.

His sidelong look gave him his answer.

Stepping forward, the Just King raised his fist and knocked, loudly, on the wooden door. Edmund was still uncertain on how it had come to this—of course it was thanks to his brother. The rain had stopped for sometime now, about a week, but the Narnians still had to wait for the roads to somewhat dry before they could continue. On the first day that the rain had showed signs of letting up, Peter had been out.

In the tavern they had been staying at, it was rumored that a dearly beloved person in the town had returned under the cover of rain a few days before. For some reason, Peter had gotten all excited and had dragged Edmund out of the warm inn and across the muggy, muddy street to a building that looked like no more than a house.

Peter had knocked and didn't seemed all that surprised when a woman dressed as a nurse opened the door. It was clear that Peter intended to do all of the talking out of doors, however, as was common with the people of the town, she quickly widened the door and ushered them inside. Peter politely declined the refreshments she offered and quickly asked her if a lone rider had stopped there before moving onwards. The woman thought about it, then nodded. She then told them that a one of the village's favorite people had returned only a few days ago and she had been briefly examined by the doctor before going to her home.

It was unnatural to see the High King nearly jump with glee, but Peter was giddy with excitement. He asked if the doctor was busy and when the woman said no, he then asked if they could see him. The good doctor was a rather skinny man with a shock of dark brown hair and sparkling green eyes. He was happy to answer Peter's questions, no matter how odd they were, and, upon asking him where the woman resided, they returned to the tavern. The next day they had set out for the place, vividly describe by the medic and it took them only an hour to reach it.

And there they were.

It took a moment for him to hear footsteps, but the door quickly opened and Edmund couldn't restrain the sigh that escaped his lips. The woman who opened the door was not Kama. Instead, the woman was rather short and had dark brown hair, the color of tree bark, and light brown eyes that were soothing and kind. Unless she had gone through a rapid transformation, this woman was most definitely not for whom they had come looking.

"Come in," the woman said, ushering them into the spacious doorway. "It's absolutely dreadful out there." She expertly removed their cloaks from them while directing them to the kitchen. They had not managed to sit down, before she bustled into the room and began preparing them a hot drink. She made comments on little things, and Edmund noticed that she had yet to acknowledge their royalty. Also, he noted that the woman continued to glance at Peter, as if recognizing him, but not sure where.

Finally, she set their drinks before them with a nod. "There we are," she said, in her soft voice. "Drink it while it's hot so that it can warm you before you go out again."

"Thank you," Peter managed, and Ed was surprised that his voice came out so smooth.

"You're very welcome, sir," she replied. "Forgive me, for I neglected to introduce myself. I am called Neda and I am the keeper of the house while my mistress is away."

"I am High King Peter and my brother Edmund, also King of Narnia," Peter stated, a hint of pride in his tone.

The woman only pleasantly nodded, and turned to tend the fire which had fallen to mere ashes. Edmund looked at his brother confused, but said nothing as she watched the woman work. When the flames had leapt back up to their raging intensity, she turned to them.

"What can I do for you gentlemen?" she questioned, folding her hands in front of her, her eyebrows raised expectantly.

Edmund glanced at Peter, whose skin was a shade paler than before. "We wished to visit Kama," he informed her, feeling his brother's grateful eyes on him. "We were passing through when the rain stopped us and we had heard that she returned."

"Oh," she said. "And what is your connection to my mistress?"

There was silence for a moment.

"We're old friends," Edmund finally managed, glancing uncertainly at Peter, who was staring at the woman suspiciously.

Neda's smile was excited and, Ed thought, relieved and he could have sworn he heard her say, "I knew you would come," but was not sure.

"Well, the mistress is out at present," Neda began, her eyes shining with pleasure, "however, she should not be long…" The slamming of one of the door's cut her short. "That should be her, now." She had barely spoken the words when the high pitched laughter of a child and the pounding of feet dashing across the floor boards interrupted her.

Peter and Edmund rushed to their feet as the child ran into the room, squealing with delight. The child, a boy, was about four or five years of age and skidded into Neda, who only bent with the weight of the child, obviously used to the rough embrace. He opened his mouth to say something, his eyes bright with excitement, but he froze when he saw them. This gave Edmund a chance to examine him.

The ocean blue eyes set inside his almond-shaped sockets were clearly Kama's, along with the shape of his mouth. However, the golden wheat hair, full lips, and slightly rounded chin and nose were all but too familiar. He had stepped away from Neda with a frown creasing his tan forehead and his stance, his chin jutted out, shoulders thrown back, and feet spread apart, was comical for one his age. It spoke of protection. When Edmund looked into his eyes, the smile was inevitable, for they were darkened with a childish suspicion and the light in them had noticeably dimmed.

_This is definitely my brother's child,_ Ed thought, trying to hide his smile before the boy noticed it. 

"Where are you manners, child?" Neda scolded, lightly. "These are guests."

"You mean intwuders," the boy stated, refusing to take the hand Neda offered him.

"By Aslan's mane," she sighed. "Is everyone an intruder to you?"

The boy thought about this. "You're not an intwuder," he stated, matter-of-factly.

Both Neda and Edmund chuckled, and Edmund glanced over at his brother for the first time since the boy had stepped into the house. He froze.

He was rigid and his eyes were on the child—his child. There was a look on his face that Ed could not identify. Peter searched the boy's face as if it was the last he would ever see. Another bang from the back of the house brought both boys from their reverie.

"Liam, I told you not to run away from me like that," The familiar voice of a woman came. "You could have…" Kama's recognizable form stepped into the room and she opened her mouth to continue scolding the child when she stopped, her mouth hung slack—her eyes locked on Peter's.

No one spoke.

"I think it's time that you went upstairs and washed, Liam." Neda said, finally breaking the quiet. "I'll help you."

"I think I'll come along as well," Edmund volunteered, following Neda's quick steps.

"I don't want him up here." Liam whined, his gaze still full of distrust.

Edmund had to smile.

"Move it, child." Neda ordered, her voice no longer suggesting, but commanding. Liam sullenly moved forward up the stairs, but not until he cast a warning look in Edmund's direction. When they had all finally gone, Peter could not contain himself any longer.

"Is that…" but he could not force himself to finish the sentence.

"Your child," Kama completed in her rich voice. "Yes, he is."

"He's pretty good lookin'," he stated, seriously, but there was a teasing in his eye.

She ducked her head to hide her smile. "Well don't tell him that." She said. "Somehow he managed to acquire an ego the size of the continent."

"Now I wonder how that could have happened?" he questioned, a smile lighting his face.

There was silence.

"Why did you leave?" he asked, not being able to hold the question inside any longer.

She let out a heavy sigh, moving forward to sink down into one of the chairs at the table.

"Was it because of him?" he pressed, walking over to her. She tried to look away, but he grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him. "Was it because of him."

She shook her head. "No."

"Answer me," he barked, impatiently.

She jerked away from his hand. "There is so much you do not know." She retorted.

"Then tell me," he fought. "Tell me why you left me?" His voice was chocked with emotion and he looked away for a moment.

She was silent a minute. "I have a half-brother." She stated, suddenly. "And he wanted me for his wife. Time after time I refused, for he was the one who started the war in my country in the first place. However I knew him, and I knew that if he couldn't have me in one way, he would have me in the other."

Peter sucked in his breath.

"I decided to run before he tried anything stupid. So Trae and I ran to Narnia and we had planned to stay in the woods if you hadn't found us."

The images of Kama's blade crashing down to meet Edmund's flashed through his mind, as she fought in fear of her life. "That still doesn't explain why you left." He said.

"When you're on the run, you'll eventually be found out." She stated. "Leison, my half-brother, was on my trail and I had to leave before he brought death and destruction to Narnia, my safe haven. I would let the Narnians that I love glimpse my life for the past five years, nothing but death and devastation everywhere you traveled. Narnia is such a peaceful place that I could not let that happen."

"So you ran." Peter finished.

She nodded.

"Why didn't you tell me about him?"

The look she gave him was bordering on annoyed. "What good what it have done?" she questioned. "I was leaving anyway. Knowing that I was pregnant with your child would have only attached you to me further."

"Not anymore than I'm already attached to you." He murmured his eyes boring into hers.

She looked away.

He sighed, rising to his feet in frustration. He paced about the room for a moment, before looking at her, an idea suddenly forming in his head. Walking over to her, he knelt in front of her.

"Do you remember," he began, in a voice she knew all too well, "what it was like to be near each other?"

She obstinately refused to meet his eye.

"Do you remember what it felt like to run your hands through my hair, over my face?" He moved with a catlike agility behind her, his hands sneaking up her arms. He felt her stiffen as he pressed his lips to her neck. "For me to whisper terms of endearments to you between kisses."

"Peter stop." She ordered, as his hands wrapped themselves around her, tactfully pinning her to the chair.

"Do you remember," he went on, his breath warm as his lips brushed against her ear. "what it felt like to be held, firmly, in my arms, our lips about to be passionately joined?"

She forcefully broke free of the ring of his arms, as she stood, striding across the room as she spoke. "You and Edmund will go. Now!" Despite her elongated step, Peter's was longer and he quickly overtook her. Grabbing her wrist, he turned her to face him, pulling her willowy frame into his—it fit perfectly.

"You left before I had a chance to make what we did right." He said, managing to keep her in his arms regardless of her struggling.

She stopped fighting long enough to ask, "and how could you do that?" Her pale face gave away her anger, but her eyes and tone showed him her weak resolve.

"I intend to make it right, with a question." He explained.

She must have known exactly where he was taking the exchange, for she immediately tried to yank out of his arms.

Tired of her fighting, Peter pushed her against the wall, one hand pinning her shoulder there, preventing any attempted escape. "Just listen to me." He ordered.

"No." Came the swift reply. Kama's hair had flown into her face on one side, slightly masking her eyes that seemed even more passionate in color beneath their auburn curtain. She tried to push him away, however it only resulted with her back up against the wall, this time in a corner.

"Kama, please." He sighed. "You have no idea about how many times I've had this conversation in my head."

"Yes I do." She murmured softly, as if she didn't want him to hear it.

He looked down at her, frowning. "What are you talking about?" he questioned.

She looked away.

"Kama."

She was adamantly silent.

Without another word, he bent, brushing her lips with his. She pulled away as much as she was allowed, her mouth in a thin line. "Stop it." She ordered looking at him with warning in her eyes, but it was a weak command and the flame the usually flared when she gave an order was nothing more than a flicker.

He tried to control the smile that threatened to show on his lips, and only just managed to succeed in conquering it. "Does it amuse you," he began, "to see me beseeching for your attention?" He stooped again, but she moved away just out of reach.

"You did not come after me." She stated suddenly, her eyes still flashing but in a different manner this time; they flashed with pain of a memory and the hurt that it still left on her life. "I didn't think you would, but still there was a part of me that wanted you to find me."

"Why?"

She huffed. "You're asking why?" she breathed incredulously; "So that I wouldn't feel like a stupid girl who made the terrible mistake of liking a king of Narnia."

"That was a mistake?"

"No. But sleeping with him, falling in love with him was a mistake." Her voice cracked. "I wanted you to come after me so that I would not end up regretting for the rest of my life having the High King's chi…" she never finished. Peter bent, capturing her lips as he stepped closer. Wrapping his arms around her, he held her closer than he ever had. He held her prisoner, entranced in his arms. He pressed his mouth to hers hard, not allowing her to break free until she fully surrendered to him. Finally he pulled away and she fell against him, her breathing ragged.

"I wanted you to come after me so badly." She gasped, tears evident in her voice.

"I have, Kama." He said. "I have come after you; and now all I want is you."

"Peter—"

He grabbed the sides of her head and forced her to look up at him. "Come back with me. Help me make right what we did five years ago," he murmured. "Marry me, Kama."

She was silent, pulling away from him.

"Kama, please," he pleaded. "I think it is time we moved on with our lives."

"I agree."

"Why not together?"

"Because, if I did…submit, before we could go any further in our relationship, we would have to go through your Narnian court, which I don't want to," she said, after a brief pause.

"What are you talking about?" he questioned, confused.

"Do you honestly think they would allow us to marry if I presented Liam to them?"

"Kama, they know you," he fought.

"Yes. And right now, my country is at war. Therefore, in their eyes, my having your _child_ could be part of a masterful plan some bedlamite formulated," she stated. "I will not be so insulted. And I will not bring Liam to Cair Paravel."

"Why are you so uncompromising?" he asked, his eyes blazing, furious that she would dismiss his proposal without a thought.

She was quiet a moment. "Come upstairs," she said, brushing past him.

He grabbed her arm. "I want you to at least think about my proposition," he ordered.

"I am not one of your subjects, _your majesty_. Come upstairs," she said, yanking from his grasp. "I want you to see something." With that she continued past him and up the stairs—he reluctantly followed. They walked into a spacious room in which, it was quite apparent that the bath had taken place. The tub still in one corner, water splattered on the floor, and a pile of small clothes were all evidence of the previous affair.

"You'll have to forgive the mess," Kama said, moving past the crime scene. "Bath time is not Liam's favorite occurrence. Yet, it wouldn't be necessary as often as it is if he didn't do whatever it is he does to get so messy in order to come home tracking dirt into the house, all of which Neda doesn't appreciate. It is either a happy child or a frazzled housekeeper and I prefer that Neda be content."

By this time, they had moved into a hall and after glancing down at the floor, saw that Kama was following a set of watery footprints. The hall abruptly ended with a door on which she knocked before stepping inside. Peter cautiously followed, already knowing how strongly Liam felt about "intwuders".

The room was quaint. With a small bed in one corner, on which Edmund was sitting on with a smile, a set of drawers off next to the small window that faced east, and a small table with a basin and pitcher decorating the room, it was quite suitable for a boy of Liam's age, whatever that may be. Moreover, in the center of this old-fashioned room was Liam; freshly scrubbed from head-to-toe, in a white nightgown, and scowling fiercely as Neda tried to brush out his curly, golden locks.

His face instantly brightened when he saw Kama and he stretched out his arms for her. Kama's laugh rang through the room like bells as she stepped forward and scooped him in up her arms in a fluid motion.

"You're clean!" she exclaimed, moving over to the bed and sitting beside Edmund.

At this, Liam's face darkened. "Neda twied to dwown me again," he cried, shooting an accusing look at the housekeeper who only regarded him with an indifference that made his face redden. "And he helped," he stated, turning his attention to Edmund, whose eyes flashed with merriment.

"Perhaps if you did not squirm so when she's washing, she won't try to drown you," Kama chuckled.

"And den she twied to pull out my hair," he clutched his head, glaring fiercely at her as he spoke.

Peter glanced at Ed who seemed as if he was trying hard not to disintegrate into laughter.

"Hmm," she murmured thoughtfully. "Would you mind if mama brushed your hair?"

Liam looked at Neda uncertainly, and then turned back to Kama, nodding his head firmly.

"Ah! Ungrateful child," the housekeeper stated a she handed Kama the brush. She peeled his arms back from his head and began to gently run the brush through his hair. A slight smile formed on his lips as Peter watched Liam lean against her in a loving, trusting way; a way that Kama seemed to enjoy. She rocked as she drew the brush through his hair and his smile widened as he watched Liam's eyes close and his breathing slow.

Then she began to hum; a tune that was almost mournful, but was closer to mysterious. Neda, who had walked out of the room presumably to go clean up the bath mess, began to sing the words. The housekeeper's contralto voice was clear and strong and resonated clearly through the house. As Peter listened to the words sung in the melodious, lilting tongue of the Calormens, he felt a sensation pass through him; a feeling he only experienced in the presence of Aslan.

Even when the lovely, haunting refrain ended and there was silence throughout the domicile, that eerie feeling remained, and it made him shudder. Kama's voice grabbed his attention, snatching him from his reverie.

"Are you ready for bed, my Little One?" she questioned. She had turned him around on her knee so as he could see her, for the room had grown dark rapidly. He saw Edmund move from the bed and walk over to the dresser and pulled something out of the bottom drawer. There was silence for a moment, and he struck something and a small flicker of light appeared, filling the room with a dim glow.

"Nope," Liam mumbled through a yawn. "It's not even dawk yet."

Even in the dim light, he could make out Kama's bright smile. "Fine then," she said, standing with him still in her arms. "Do you want to hear a story?"

He could only nod as another monstrous yawn overtook him while she placed him in bed. "I wanna heaw about the Battle of Bewuna."

"All right," she agreed, pulling the covers across him. "But I have a surprise. You like surprises, right?"

He nodded sleepily.

"Well," she began. "You know the two 'intwuders'?"

He nodded again, this time more slowly.

"Well, they fought in the Battle of Beruna and I'm sure they can tell the story better than Neda or I could."

"Weally?" he said, suddenly interested.

She nodded.

His gaze went from Edmund and rested on Peter who was smiling. "Well, would you stay in hewe wif me?"

"Definitely," she smiled.

"Ok, they can tell me," he said, laying down once more for he had sprung forward in his excitement.

"Well you might have to ask them," she stated matter-of-factly.

Again his gaze flickered to them. After a moment he took a breath. "What are their names?" he questioned.

"Peter and Edmund."

He looked at her and frowned. He sat up and leaned forward, whispering something in her ear. She nodded at him and the biggest smile he had seen all day spread across his face.

"Edmund, Peter," he began. "Would you pwease tell me about the Battle of Bewuna?"

Peter couldn't help but laugh. "Of course we will," he said, moving forward to stand next to Kama who had risen from the bed; and with that he began.

Kama only stayed in the room for a little while for she practically knew the story by heart and by the time the Narnian's and Witch's armies clashed she was gone. Peter's clear voice echoed down the halls as she padded quietly through the house, with Edmund's frequent inputs. She walked back downstairs to the kitchen to find Neda at the table, pouring a steaming liquid into two cups.

"I thought you'd be down soon," the woman said.

"Liam will be asleep in little bit." She replied, taking a seat and wrapping her hands around the warm mug. "Peter and Edmund are up there now telling him about the Battle of Beruna."

Neda smiled. "They're both really nice boys." She commented, putting the pot back over the fire and sitting across from her.

Kama nodded her eyes distant.

"How did your talk go with the young king?"

She glanced up at her. "Fine."

"Did he ask you to marry him?"

She sighed and nodded.

"And?"

"I didn't give him an answer."

"_Perch`e no_?"

She was silent.

"Isn't this what you have been wanting?" she questioned. "You have a chance at a happy ending, Kama. Not many people get a second chance."

"If he had come sooner," she murmured. "Only sooner, I would have said yes with _all _of my heart. But I can't now."

Neda sighed. "Is it because of Leison?"

She nodded. "And the War." She added. "I'm deep in it, now. I haven't taken a side and thousands know it. They now that when I do, if I do, take a side all my hope that Calormen will come to its senses and realize that the only thing this fighting is accomplishing is poverty and death, will shatter."

"You are so devoted, child." She declared. "And your intense love for your country is enough to make any Calormen proud. But, you must realize that Calormen is on a destructive path that it cannot turn from."

"I know." She said. "But all I want to do is protect the women and children of the land. The reason I've been staying so long is because I'm trying to organize villages, scattered around the country that women and children can run to."

Neda frowned. "What good is that going to do if the factions are going to attack them?"

"Nothing." She agreed. "But if the factions agree not to harm any of those villages, at least for a certain period of time, then those women and children can drift to the Great Desert or even Archenland."

"If you're doing all of this, how come you keep returning with wounds?"

"I run into fighting often. Usually on my way home." She said. "And I only try to make it out alive. I never fight on a side."

"Some would call that cowardice."

There was silence between them.

"How come you won't marry the High King?" Neda questioned. "Don't give me that look, Kama. We both know that you don't intend to, so at least tell me why you won't; cause Aslan knows whether or not you'll tell him."

Kama chuckled. "It's amazing how well you see through me."

"It's a gift." The woman smiled.

"Until Leison's dead, I cannot marry Peter." She said. "In Calormen I am constantly hunted by his men and there is no place I go that he doesn't reach. Several times his men have captured me, but I've always managed to escape before they reach him. Once, Trae even saved me."

At this Neda smiled. "How is Trae?"

"He's fine." She reassured her. "Always a little battered when I see him, but none worse for the wear."

Neda sighed with relief and was about to reply when they heard footsteps on the stairs. "Well that's the end of our little chat." She said and rose to get more cups.

Edmund and Peter walked into the room side by side and both pairs of eyes shone down at her.

"You two look awfully pleased." Neda stated, placing two more cups of steaming tea on the table.

"I think it's safe to say," Edmund began, sitting next to her. "That Liam enjoyed our story immensely."

"Well you both have first hand accounts; I don't know why he shouldn't have." Kama smiled. She only glanced at Peter as he sat down next to her.

"He's a really funny kid," Edmund continued, clearly infatuated with the child already. "He kept asking us questions and the ones we could understand we answered."

She laughed. "I'm glad you guys aren't "intwuders" anymore."

They all laughed.

"Is he asleep?" she asked, this time addressing Peter.

"I don't think I've seen a child more eager to go to sleep." He replied, his eyes sparkling. "He informed us, right before he conked out, that he was going to dream that he was fighting in the Narnian army right next to Oreius."

"Thanks a lot." Kama cried. "Tomorrow he's going to wake up thinking he's a warrior and he's going to attack me all day with a stick."

Peter and Edmund smiled at each other across the table.

"Kama," Peter began. "Right before I walked out of the room, Liam said "Buona notte, aba ". What does that mean?"

Kama swallowed. "He was speaking Calor." She slowly stated. "It is the second primary dialect in Calormen and it literally means "goodnight…daddy."

Peter froze. "You mean he knows?"

She could only nod.

"But how did he know me?" he questioned, staring at her hard.

She looked at her hands as she answered, glancing at him once as she spoke. "You didn't think I'd let him grow up thinking he was fatherless did you?" here she glanced at him, but then her eyes quickly returned to her hands. "I told him that his father…was from the other world and had stumbled into Narnia with his brother and sisters. I told him endless stories about what those four children did and that they ended up being Kings and Queens of Narnia." She paused again, this time trying to hide her cherry face from Peter and Edmund's stares. "I suppose he put the facts together. After all you are royalty, judging from your clothes, and you fought in the Battle of Beruna, and you are clearly not Archelen, Calormen, or any other foreign country royalty which practices the monarchy system. I think he guessed."

"Is that what he whispered to you?" Edmund asked, his gaze switching from Kama to Peter.

She nodded. "I couldn't keep it from him for very long." She unconsciously smiled. "He's a bright boy." This was said with a pride that only a mother would know.

No one spoke.

Suddenly, Edmund yawned and Kama's eyes flew toward the clock that hung above the fireplace.

"By Aslan," she exclaimed, rising to her feet. "It's almost eight o'clock. Forgive me, you boys must be starved. Neda, be a dear and go and milk Lily; I swear she'll think we forgot about her."

"I declare that cow would think we'd abandon her if we were only an hour late for her milkin'." The housekeeper grumbled, nevertheless rose and walked out the door, grabbing a small pail as she did so.

"I'll help," Peter said, standing and following after the woman, leaving Edmund sitting at the table.

Kama flew back into the room, obviously having visited the cellar, balancing a pie of some sort in one hand and carrying a bowl with four apples in the other. Setting the bucket on the table, she walked over to the table and placed the pie of on a flat piece of iron that rested on the hot ashes from the wood. She turned back to Edmund, smiling. She strode over to a cabinet and pulled out a pair of long, sharp knives, twirling them in her hand as she walked back over to the table.

He smiled. "I think I asked this before under different circumstances," he began, "but I have to ask again. What do you think of Narnia?"

Kama's familiar smile spread across her face as she began to slice the apples. "It's peaceful," she commented, not looking up from her work. "It's my getaway."

The smile remained as he reached for an apple. "Can I ask another question?" he inquired, starting to slice the firm fruit. "This one more personal."

"_Certo_." She replied. "Sure."

"Are you glad that Peter and I are here?" he asked, watching her face closely that he didn't realize he was cutting air and not the fruit in front of him.

She was silent for a moment. "Liam gets to meet his father, so yes in that respect, I am. I was missing your family as well, so you get to give me the latest on your sisters." It was an order, not an option and he knew it.

"But are you happy to see us. Just for us?" He was staring at her so hard now that he had forgotten about the apple completely.

She sighed. "Of course I'm happy to see you, Edmund." She said. "It's hard not to miss your family after a while, they're so sweet."

At this he smiled, going back to the apple. "Not all the time."

This response invoked a grin. "Well. No one's perfect." She agreed, picking up her third apple.

The silence between them was pleasant.

"Kama," Edmund began, after a moment.

She looked at him, the smile still on her face. With the fading light making her eyes shine, he had to admit that she was radiant.

"Let me know if I'm crossing a line, but…surely you do not expect me to be at loss for why my brother sought you out."

She continued to cut the apple as if she had not heard. Not wanting to press, Edmund let it drop. She moved from the table to a cabinet and pulled out a large plate. Walking back, she began to pile the cut apples onto it. Saying nothing. Suddenly, she sighed, a sound that seemed to bring her great pain and distress.

"You deserve to know, Ed." She said; she had been standing through their entire conversation, but now she sat. "Yes, Peter did ask me to marry him."

If it had been any other circumstance, Edmund would have jumped for joy. But it was her voice that gave him pause; she sounded as if she were about to cry. He looked at her, and could see the muscles in her jaw working. The shine that had been in her eyes earlier had vanished, replaced by a different shine: tears. He didn't question, just waited for her to continue, the fruit once again forgotten.

"I can't accept." She breathed, trying to fight the tears that threatened to run. "By the Lion, I want to so bad."

Pushing the apple aside, Edmund grabbed her hands. "Why, Kama?"

"I'm doing something huge in Calormen, right now." She explained, breathing deeply. "It can't wait. I have to get it done or else thousands of innocent women and children will die."

"Why does this prevent you from marrying Peter?" he questioned. "Why can you not marry and then return to Calormen and carry out your plan?"

A single tear slid down her cheek as she looked him in the face and answered. "There is an element in Calormen that objects strongly to my marrying anyone, but a certain person. Until this element is _dead_, marrying your brother is out of the picture."

"Then deal with the element," he pressed through gritted teeth.

"It's not that simple," she murmured. "This element is known, has spies. I can't even get into the country--" That was as far as she was allowed.

"Kama!" he cried, not believing what he was hearing. "My brother cares for you with a love that is unparalleled by anything in Narnia, save the Aslan's love. And you love him as well. By the Lion, I see it in your eyes when you look at him. Why are you not, at least willing, to try and get rid of this element?" The Just King's face was burning and his eyes blazed with passion while he spoke.

"You have a chance to make everything right, Kama," he said, slightly calmer. "Why do you continue to hurt Peter and yourself? I know you and this…this is not you."

She could stand it no more. "You do not know me, Edmund Pevensie," she spat, standing. "If you did, then you would know why I cannot."

"Then tell me," he said, reaching for her hand. "And I can help."

She yanked her hand away. "No, you can't," she stated, looking as if she were about to collapse into tears. "No one can." She turned and

started for the doorway.

"All I want to see is my brother happily married," he called after her, trying to sway her once more.

She stopped and he saw her fists clench. She just barely turned her head to look at him over her shoulder. Her tone was decided yet strained as she spoke and there was a hardness about it that ended the conversation. "Then you both will have to find a different bride."

She walked out.


End file.
